Firefighter accused of forging judge, lawyer's signatures

Published: Wednesday, July 16, 2014 at 4:12 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, July 16, 2014 at 4:12 p.m.

A Midway firefighter who unsuccessfully ran for the Davidson County Board of Education in 2010 and 2012 is accused of forging signatures of his attorney and a judge in an effort to regain full status with his department, according to arrest warrants.

Christopher L. Hackett, 40, of 234 Sleepy Hollow Drive, Winston-Salem, was placed in the Davidson County Detention Center under a $20,000 secured bond Tuesday after being charged with two counts of felony common law forgery, felony attempting to obtain property by false pretense and misdemeanor common law uttering. He's set to appear Aug. 25 in Lexington District Court.

Davidson County Sheriff's Office Det. M.J. Hanna alleged in an arrest warrant that Hackett provided a counterfeit letter from the law firm of Barnes, Grimes, Bunce and Fraley with the forged signature of attorney S. Wesley Brittain. The detective explained the attempt was to regain full status as a firefighter at the Midway Fire Department.

Hanna further stated in the court document that Hackett also forged the name of Judge April Wood in an attempt to obtain full status with the department. The false document was an attempt to obtain money for responding to calls as a firefighter in Midway, according to the warrant.

The reason Hackett needed a letter for the Midway department was unclear. Midway Chief Mike Craft wasn't immediately available Wednesday for comment.

Davidson County Clerk of Superior Court Brian Shipwash said Craft notified him of the letter. In a phone call, the chief told Shipwash there was a letter with a judge's signature on it.

"At that point in time, I basically told him that the authenticity of that letter was questionable, and I asked him if he would fax it," the clerk said Wednesday. "He faxed me the letter to verify the allegations of it. As soon as I received the letter, it said April Woods with an 's.' With being clerk for 16 years, I am pretty familiar with her signature and her name, neither of which was that of Judge April Wood. I took the letter to the judge to inform her I had a concern that her signature may have been forged or presented as authentic."

The clerk said there was an attempt to have the signatures on the letter of Wood, Brittain and an unknown third person who may have been a victim in previous charges. Shipwash said it was his understanding the letter stated "all matters had been resolved." The Davidson County District Attorney's Office was alerted prior to the Davidson County Sheriff's Office being contacted for further investigation, Shipwash said.

Davidson County Sheriff David Grice said the investigation had already "evolved" by the time his agency received it. "The (deputy) looked into it and felt these charges were appropriate based on the behavior," Grice said.

The DCSO previously charged Hackett in late December of this past year with nine counts each of felony uttering forged endorsement and felony obtaining property by false pretense. Hackett worked as a City of Lexington firefighter from December 2000 to February 2007. According to a story published in October 2012 in The Dispatch, he was married to Mitzee. Mitzee Hackett is listed as the victim in this past year's charges as Christopher Hackett is accused of forging nine checks totaling the amount of $415.36. The checks were made payable to Cabs Korner on Ridge Road and were used to purchase gas and other store merchandise, according to a warrant, which stated there were insufficient funds in the account.

According to court records, Christopher Hackett initially received a $50,000 secured bond for this past year's charges. Wood reduced the man's bond to $50,000 unsecured.

Hackett was previously convicted of two counts of misdemeanor simple worthless check. The complainants, according to court records, were Speedy's BBQ and the Davidson County Tax Collector. The incidents occurred in 2003 and 2004. He was ordered to pay $44.53 in restitution to the restaurant and $89.06 to the tax collector, as well as $100 in court costs for both convictions.

Brittain, who confirmed he represents Hackett on this past year's charges, said the N.C. State Bar prohibits him from discussing the latest charges.

Darrick Ignasiak can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 217, or darrick.ignasiak@the-dispatch.com. Follow Darrick on Twitter: @DispatchDarrick

<p>A Midway firefighter who unsuccessfully ran for the Davidson County Board of Education in 2010 and 2012 is accused of forging signatures of his attorney and a judge in an effort to regain full status with his department, according to arrest warrants.</p><p>Christopher L. Hackett, 40, of 234 Sleepy Hollow Drive, Winston-Salem, was placed in the Davidson County Detention Center under a $20,000 secured bond Tuesday after being charged with two counts of felony common law forgery, felony attempting to obtain property by false pretense and misdemeanor common law uttering. He's set to appear Aug. 25 in Lexington District Court.</p><p>Davidson County Sheriff's Office Det. M.J. Hanna alleged in an arrest warrant that Hackett provided a counterfeit letter from the law firm of Barnes, Grimes, Bunce and Fraley with the forged signature of attorney S. Wesley Brittain. The detective explained the attempt was to regain full status as a firefighter at the Midway Fire Department.</p><p>Hanna further stated in the court document that Hackett also forged the name of Judge April Wood in an attempt to obtain full status with the department. The false document was an attempt to obtain money for responding to calls as a firefighter in Midway, according to the warrant.</p><p>The reason Hackett needed a letter for the Midway department was unclear. Midway Chief Mike Craft wasn't immediately available Wednesday for comment. </p><p>Davidson County Clerk of Superior Court Brian Shipwash said Craft notified him of the letter. In a phone call, the chief told Shipwash there was a letter with a judge's signature on it.</p><p>"At that point in time, I basically told him that the authenticity of that letter was questionable, and I asked him if he would fax it," the clerk said Wednesday. "He faxed me the letter to verify the allegations of it. As soon as I received the letter, it said April Woods with an 's.' With being clerk for 16 years, I am pretty familiar with her signature and her name, neither of which was that of Judge April Wood. I took the letter to the judge to inform her I had a concern that her signature may have been forged or presented as authentic."</p><p>The clerk said there was an attempt to have the signatures on the letter of Wood, Brittain and an unknown third person who may have been a victim in previous charges. Shipwash said it was his understanding the letter stated "all matters had been resolved." The Davidson County District Attorney's Office was alerted prior to the Davidson County Sheriff's Office being contacted for further investigation, Shipwash said. </p><p>Davidson County Sheriff David Grice said the investigation had already "evolved" by the time his agency received it. "The (deputy) looked into it and felt these charges were appropriate based on the behavior," Grice said.</p><p>The DCSO previously charged Hackett in late December of this past year with nine counts each of felony uttering forged endorsement and felony obtaining property by false pretense. Hackett worked as a City of Lexington firefighter from December 2000 to February 2007. According to a story published in October 2012 in The Dispatch, he was married to Mitzee. Mitzee Hackett is listed as the victim in this past year's charges as Christopher Hackett is accused of forging nine checks totaling the amount of $415.36. The checks were made payable to Cabs Korner on Ridge Road and were used to purchase gas and other store merchandise, according to a warrant, which stated there were insufficient funds in the account.</p><p>According to court records, Christopher Hackett initially received a $50,000 secured bond for this past year's charges. Wood reduced the man's bond to $50,000 unsecured.</p><p>Hackett was previously convicted of two counts of misdemeanor simple worthless check. The complainants, according to court records, were Speedy's BBQ and the Davidson County Tax Collector. The incidents occurred in 2003 and 2004. He was ordered to pay $44.53 in restitution to the restaurant and $89.06 to the tax collector, as well as $100 in court costs for both convictions.</p><p>Brittain, who confirmed he represents Hackett on this past year's charges, said the N.C. State Bar prohibits him from discussing the latest charges.</p><p>Darrick Ignasiak can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 217, or darrick.ignasiak@the-dispatch.com. Follow Darrick on Twitter: @DispatchDarrick</p>